Nautical Style: Decorating With Porthole Mirrors

There are many ways to incorporate the timeless nautical style into your home decor and porthole mirrors are a fun way to bring a touch of that seafaring life into any home.

A porthole is a typically circular window found on ships to allow light and air into the lower deck of boat. Perhaps surprisingly, given the nautical usage, the word "porthole" does not refer to the port side of a ship in anyway. Instead, the name originates from the reign of Henry VI and the first fleet of ship to be outfitted with cannons below deck, requiring holes to be cut in the side and covered with "portes" (doors). Since that time, portholes have been used in armored vehicles, aircraft, automobiles, and even spacecraft. Still, the porthole remains most associated with the sea.

Always watertight and secured, portholes include heavy-duty clamps and bolts to ensure safety. This industrial look is one of the reasons porthole mirrors are so popular and used throughout homes in the form of clocks, windows, artwork and our personal favorite, mirrors.

Porthole mirrors provide an illusion of a ship's hull window and are available in a variety of colors and styles. The Nantucket Brand collection of porthole mirrors come in a variety of sizes, colors, and finishes including brass, nickel, bronze, black iron, and aluminum.

One of the biggest appeals to a porthole mirror is that they can used in essentially any space. From entryways, stairwells, workplaces or bathrooms, porthole mirrors create space and light in a fun way. Just check out a few of these ideas found on Pinterest!

A porthole mirror instantly adds a nautical touch to any room and is sure to spark a conversation or two. Shop our porthole mirrors!